Asking God The Tough Questions

I got a call yesterday from someone in our church who just got through beating cancer. She was at the doctor yesterday and found out that there are some new lumps in the other side of her neck. She's having surgery this Monday to have them removed and to determine if they are cancerous.

It's devastating. For her mostly, but also for me.

I believe that God heals people. I believe that God blesses people. I believe that God doesn't put sickness on people. I believe that God has a plan for everyone. But here's the difficult part- knowing all of that, how do I make sense of something such as cancer?

Where does it come from? Why does it exist? How does it fit into God's plan for humanity to have something that is apparently within all of us, that shows no mercy to anyone and can attack at anytime?

Here's the three most faith-filled words again. The words that get me through alot "I Don't Know". I wish I did. I wish that as a pastor when I get calls like that I had an immediate answer or scripture that provided instant comfort or relief of the pain of something as scary as cancer.

I think with alot of things like cancer, or other forms of evil that people can use it as a reason to not believe in God, or question if he exists or not. It doesn't really do that for me as much as it solidifies his existence in that in times like these I long even more to reach to something more powerful than I am. That knows the answers that I don't. That has the ability to see things that I may not understand and comfort me in the times of distress.

The big question that I think this raises is, does God make everything in the world happen, or does the world operate on its own freewill devoid of divine intervention? It's a tough question, I know, but its an honest one in times like these.

Sometimes the comfort is in knowing that he knows the answers, not knowing the answers myself. We all have a need to know, and in times like this I think its a feeling that is even stronger.

Pray for her today. I don't need to tell you her name. God knows it. She is a wonderful woman who loves God and people. She got through it before, she'll get through it again.

Don't be afraid of asking God tough questions. He can handle it. You can handle it. It doesn't change his nature, it doesn't mean He isn't love. Sometimes things are just beyond our comprehension.

Be blessed today.
matt